Credit: rfi.fr. / FADEL SENNA / AFP / Former Central African Republic Rebel Leader Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC TIMES

Central African Republic militia leader Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona was transferred to the International Criminal Court (ICC)  in The Hague, The Netherlands Wednesday, by the authorities of the French Republic pursuant to an ICC arrest warrant for crimes against humanity. The  crimes were allegedly committed in the Central African Republic (“CAR”). The transfer followed the completion of necessary national proceedings in France, where he was arrested on 12 December 2018, according to the  ICC.  The warrant of arrest against Ngaïssona on 7 December 2018 for his alleged criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the western part of the Central African Republic (“CAR”)between at least 5 December 2013 and at least December 2014.  According to  the ICC,  an armed conflict not of an international character was ongoing on the territory of the CAR since at least September 2013 until at least December 2014 between the Seleka – a coalition of armed groups predominantly composed of Muslims – and the Anti-Balaka – a predominantly Christian counter movement to the Seleka.  The ICC stated  that there are reasonable grounds to believe that, from at least September 2013 until at least December 2014, a widespread and systematic attack was carried out by the Anti-Balaka against the Muslim civilian population and anyone perceived to support the Seleka.

The initial appearance of Ngaïssona before Pre-Trial Chamber II of the ICC is scheduled for Friday, 25 January 2019, at 14:30 (The Hague local time) in Courtroom I.

Meanwhile, The ICC Acquitted  Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo Of War Crimes Last Week 

Credit: ICCtwitter.com / Laruent Gbagbo at Tuesday Jan. 15, 2019 court hearing in The Hague Netherlands.

The ICC on January 15 , 2019 cleared former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo of war crimes and ordered his release from The Hague-based detention centre.  ICC judges ordered the immediate release of the 73-year-old ex-leader, who was  the first head of state to stand trial at The Hague Netherlands war tribunal. The ICC also acquitted Gbagbo’s right-hand man Charles Blé Goudé  from all war crime charges. However, a last-minute appeal three days later by ICC Prosecutors  will keep former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo locked up in The Hague war tribunal pending a February 1, 2019 hearing on the status of Gbabgo’s detention.